The Sixth Year
by Munkymuppet
Summary: A whole new year at Hogwarts means a whole new year of humor, excitment, magic, terror, and strange new feelings for Angelina and her friends Harry, Hermionie, Ron, and Georgie. A year of romance between the least expecting people, and thrills and spells
1. She Closed the Door Behind Her

Chapter One  
  
Angelina yawned as she stretched her arms and got out of bed. She walked over to her bureau and searched for her school list atop it's cluttered surface.  
"Ah ha!" She said, finding the large envelope hidden beneath three of her socks. She reopened the envelope and pulled out the thick parchment inside.  
She quickly skimmed over the list of school supplies, pausing at some of the more expensive items and tutting. She knew her mother didn't like buying very expensive things-even though they weren't poor. But as Angelina's mother always reminded her "Money is scarce and there's no need for goin' out and findin' the more expensive items when you can learn just as well with a used item!"  
Angelina folded the list back up and returned it to the envelope, pressing the Hogwarts seal back down as she did so.  
It was going to be Angelina's sixth year at Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry, and she was completely looking forward to being back. She missed her classes, her teachers, her acquaintances, and most of all her friends; Harry, Hermionie, Ron, and Georgie.  
In Angelina's first year of Hogwarts she had been amazed to be going to school with Harry Potter! Everyone was; he was famous, what with his famous scar he'd acquired as an infant when the dark lord Voldemort had tried to kill him. Everyone had marveled at Harry's triumph, and almost everyone had been a big fan. Angelina hadn't even mused the idea of ever being friends with someone as famous as Harry Potter, but after befriending the know-it-all academic, Hermionie Granger, Angelina slowly became friends with Harry and his best friend Ron.  
But there was another fan of Harry's who had never believed to befriend him, and that was Georgie. Georgie had been just like Angelina when she had arrived at Hogwarts; she hadn't known anyone and she had been very shy. But Georgie was too hyper to be shy for very long, and she and Angelina had become the best of friends on the third day of school when Georgie had accidentally set fire to Angelina's extra knickers (they were all just getting used to their wands) in the girl's dormitory. They were both sent into fits of laughter as they tried putting the fire out. But neither of them had prevailed and Hermionie Granger, who had already read the book on using her wand twice, saved the day.  
Angelina moved about her room, getting ready for the big shopping day, sniggering now and then as she remembered the "good old times" she, Harry, Ron, Hermionie, and Georgie had had. As Angelina brushed her hair she smiled at a framed photograph on her desk. It was of her friends last year, all smiling and waving at her from the picture. Well, everyone but Ron that is; he was off to the side using his sleeve to wipe off a big smudge on his nose.  
"Agelina!" Angelina's mother called from down stairs. "Are you ready yet!? Those books won't buy themselves!"  
"Yes, Mum," Angelina called back. "Sheesh! Hold onto your knickers!" She set her brush down, checked her appearance in the mirror over her desk, and then hurried downstairs.  
"Well finally!" her mother cried. "You know I haven't got all day, Love! I have that meeting at the ministry today at five! I can't be late again or they'll have my head!"  
"I'm ready, I'm ready," Angelina groaned, grabbing her small purse from a hook in the entrance hall. "Let's go." She held the door for her mother who hurried out, searching for her keys in her pockets.  
Angelina grinned from ear to ear as she closed the door; in five days she'd be on the train to Hogwarts, reunited with all her friends. Angelina closed the door and locked it behind her. 


	2. Chuckles and Newt's Tails in Diagon Alle...

Chapter Two  
  
"What do you need now?" Angelina's mother, Ms. Moon, asked.  
Angelina quickly scanned her list. "I need a cauldron," she said, pointing the word out to her mother.  
"Alright! Then it's off to buy a cauldron and then we'll get your new robes!" Angelina's mother said, and she hurried down the busy streets of Diagon Alley-pulling Angelina along behind her.  
Angelina was supposed to buy a rather large cauldron for Professor Snape's Potions class-a cauldron that would be VERY difficult to carry.  
"Oh, here's a good one!" Angelina's mother cried, pointing out a dim colored cauldron that was probably the least expensive cauldron in the whole shop.  
Angelina wrinkled her nose. It wasn't that she despised her mother's constant search for low prices, it was just that the cauldron reeked of old turnips and decay.  
"How on earth am I supposed to carry that huge cauldron?" Angelina cried, observing the cauldron from afar as the small was overpowering.  
"Oh don't worry!" Ms. Moon said with a laugh. "There are plenty of spells that can handle that!" Then she turned to the store clerk who had been shyly hovering about the two women, on the ready to answer their questions. "Excuse me, I would like to buy this cauldron."  
The clerk stared at her with wide eyes as if to say, "This cauldron?" Angelina felt her cheeks redden as other customers in the shop stared from her to the old cauldron. As soon as they had bought the cauldron and were leaving the shop Angelina could hear some of the younger customers whispering about her.  
"Is she poor or something?" one pale skinned girl whispered to her friend as Angelina passed them on her way to the exit. "I mean REALLY? She bought the tackiest, smelliest cauldron in the whole shop!"  
Angelina fumed; how dare those girls snigger at her mother's saving habits and how dare they make rude remarks about families who were less fortunate. But Angelina's bad mood did not linger long as she made her way into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, where she stopped in surprise.  
Standing on a stool at the back of the room was a small Asian looking girl who kept bickering as Madam Malkins fussed over her robe.  
"Georgie!" Angelina cried, hurrying forth.  
Georgie jumped in surprise and quickly turned around. "Angelina? Oh goody!" she jumped down from the stool, knocking a pin cushion from Madam Malkin's hands as she did so.  
Madam Malkins grumbled as she stooped down to pick up the cushion and all the pins that had fallen from it.  
"It's SO good to see you again!" Georgie cried, hugging Angelina in a surprisingly tight hold. "I was worried I was gonna have to wait until the train ride to see you-and that wouldn't have been all that great as I've really missed you and I've just been DYING to see you-OH! And we have SO much to catch up on, and-"  
Angelina put both her hands on Georgie's shoulders to silence her; sometimes Georgie could go on forever.  
"Oh good, now you'll be the Terrible Two again," Angelina's mother said, walking passed them to help Madam Malkin's with the pins scattered over the floor. Ms. Moon had met Georgie three years ago-a summer she had not wished to be reminded of as Georgie and Angelina put together equaled to terrible pranksters.  
"And hello to you too, Chuckles!" Georgie said, smiling broadly at Ms. Moon. Chuckles had been a nickname assigned to Ms. Moon by Georgie the very same summer they had met-no one really knows why Georgie came up with the name Chuckles.  
"Come back here you confounded child!" Madam Malkins cried, gesturing for Georgie to get back on the stool. Madam Malkins was usually very sweet to everyone, including the cold-hearted Slytherins, but every year before school started Georgie would come back to Madam Malkin's shop and rein havoc again. It wasn't that Madam Malkins didn't like Georgie, she was quite fond of the girl actually, but would you be pleased to find a hyper teenager putting newt's tails in your shoes?  
Georgie grinned from ear to ear then jumped back up onto the stool. "Can you believe we're actually going to be in our sixth year at Hogwarts?" Georgie asked as Agelina climbed up onto a stool beside hers. "I wonder who our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be? Didn't you just despise Professor Umpbridge? She was so terrible! I mean, poor Hagrid! And how she totally made a fool of Professor Trelawny? Oh well, that means we get to be taught by Firenze!" Georgie became all misty-eyed. "Can you believe that there will be no Fred and George this year? I mean, what they did last year was truly brilliant and all but the school is gonna be SO much quieter without them!"  
"I know," Angelina agreed. "And I thought George was hot!"  
"But he looks exactly like Fred," Georgie said with a confused expression on her face. "How can you tell the difference?"  
"I just can," Angelina replied shortly.  
"Who are these Fred and George blokes?" Ms. Moon asked. "Are they those Weasley twins that were in the daily profit for leaving Hogwarts before the school year was over?"  
Angelina and Georgie both nodded.  
"They're a legend at Hogwarts now!" Angelina said, grinning. "And I can't wait till they get their joke shop all ready so I can go and check it out!"  
"Me too! Plus I've been dying to see one of the two about dating!" Georgie cried.  
"One of the two?" Angelina said with a furrowed brow. "Why not stick to Fred and leave George for the less fortunate," she said logically.  
Georgie laughed.  
"Would you hold still for one moment!" Madam Malkins cried as she pinned Georgie's robe up around her.  
Georgie stuck her tongue out. "Well that's lovely," Angelina's mother said while she sat on a chair watching the fitting. "I know!" Georgie squealed with fake delight. "It just knocks your knockers off doesn't it!" Angelina rolled her eyes. 


	3. The Unforgettable Visit to Knock Turn Al...

Chapter Three  
  
"Where should we go now?" Angelina asked as soon as she and Georgie were done with their robe fittings and were headed out of Madam Malkin's shop. "I think I'd fancy some ice cream!" Georgie cried. "You two go on without me," Angelina's mother said. "I'm going to be late for that meeting at the ministry if I don't leave now!" she gave Angelina the rest of her shopping money, kissed her on the forehead and then apparated into thin air. "Well that was fast," Angelina said, holding the sickles and knuts in her outstretched palm. "Well now that Chuckles is gone I suppose we can do whatever we'd like!" Georgie said happily, and she bounded off down the street, leaving Angelina to hurry after her. "But what about the ice cream?" Angelina cried. Georgie threw back her head and gave a thick laugh. "Oh really! I never wanted ice cream, silly!" "Then where ARE we going?" Angelina asked. She flinched as she stubbed her toe on a crevice in the street. In fact she was so overcome by the pain at her foot that she didn't notice Georgie stopping suddenly, and she ran right into her. "Ouch! Blimey! Would you watch where you're going for once?" Georgie cried. "Sorry," Angelina said, grinning sheepishly. "But why on earth have you stopped?" Georgie grinned, and pointed forth at a blood-encrusted sign that hung gingerly from the corner of a shabby old building. "Knock Turn Alley," Georgie said, grinning in a sly way that always suggested she was up to no good. "And.what about Knock Turn Alley?" Angelina asked, her voice sounding slightly worried. "Have you never been curious about what kind of shops they have down there?" Georgie asked, putting her hands on her hips like a stern mother. "I mean, think of all the wicked curses we could find there!" "I'm just worried about all the 'wicked' curses that could find us first!" Angelina said, peeking over Georgie's shoulder at the dark alley beyond. "Oh get over yourself you wimp!" Georgie cried, and before Angelina could argue Georgie grabbed her hand and lead her onward, into the shadows and dim lights of Knock Turn Alley. Neither Angelina nor Georgie had ever been down Knock Turn Alley-in fact they'd never even been passed the old shabby building with the sign posted to it. But now, as they walked down the cobble stone street, wide-eyed and nervous, they realized this was really no place for two teenage girls. There were lots of dark shops that lined the street, each with a shortage of light. Some of the shops weren't lighted at all, causing Angelina to wonder how anyone could see the merchandise. Black candles hung from tattered brackets up and down the shabby alleyway, though very few of them were even lit. The people who mingled in the street were no more suspicious then the shops Angelina and Georgie passed. A lot of the people mumbled as they limped by, others even came up and grabbed you by the arm when you were least expecting. There was one witch at the corner of the street who screamed at people as they walked by, Georgie was nearly surprised out of her skin when she and Angelina had turned the corner and the woman had shrieked, "I KNEW YOU'D COME BACK YOU LIAR! YOU FILTHY LITTLE LIAR!!! YOU'LL PAY! THE DARK LORD WILL FIND YOU! HE'LL MAKE SURE YOU PAY!" "See Georgie," Angelina whispered. "This place is creepy, let's get out of here before something really terrible happens!" "Oh, come off it," Georgie replied. "Just let me look around a little more, then we'll be off." Before Angelina could say anything more Georgie turned towards a shop and cried, "Ooh! Look at these shrunken heads! Aren't they just a laugh?" "No," Angelina replied shortly. "Oh, come on, let's have a look see!" Georgie started into the grubby little shop, Angelina closely following her as she didn't want to be left out on the street by herself. The shop was almost completely dark, save for a few small candles here and there that cast an eerie green glow over small portions of the room. The dark shop smelled of musk and decay, accompanied by a strange scent that reminded Angelina of strong perfume as it tickled her nose. The walls of the store were lined with rows and rows of shelves, covered in odd objects, many neither Angelina nor Georgie had ever seen before, most they had never wished to see. Off at the back of the room was an old counter with a single silver bell atop it; from what Angelina could see there was no shop owner or cashier in sight-not that she wanted to see one. In the center of the room was a large display table, protected beneath dusty glass that had been cracked and chipped in a few places. Beneath the glass was a number of weird items that Georgie marveled at. "Look at that!" she cried, pointing to an odd sort of mask. Angelina walked over to Georgie and looked at the little white tag set neatly beside the mask. "'The Maské of Imséledriana'," Angelina read. "'This mask once belonged to an ancient pharos's clairvoyant, Imséledriana. But Imséledriana was power mad and her ability to see the future drove her to insanity. So she killed the pharos and his daughter and placed a curse on the entire oasis she lived in; including the people, the land, and the mask. But the entire oasis was sucked beneath the earth's surface by the Goddess Isis, leaving not but the mask, which has cursed many lone explorers for centuries." "What a silly load of rubbish!" Georgie cried, laughing, and breaking the eerie silence that had filled the room. "The oasis was 'sucked' under the ground!? Yeah right!" Angelina shrugged. "Who knows, I mean, if magic exists then why can't Egyptian gods?" "Oh please, don't tell me you believe this load of crap!" Georgie cried, but she didn't wait around for an answer and she moved towards the next item beneath the glass. "Ooh! Look at that severed hand!" She squealed, pointing at a hand set on a golden platter. "It's disgusting!" Angelina cried, wrinkling her nose. "And look at that ring!" Georgie cried, gesturing towards a ruby encrusted ring set beside the severed hand. "I bet that ring looks much more exuberant when it's not locked behind this dirty glass!" "What? Are you thinking of buying that thing?" Angelina asked. Georgie shook her head. "No, no, no, of coarse not! I wouldn't buy anything from one of these shops! It'll probably kill me in my snooze!" Angelina laughed. "Oh now look who's scared!" she chuckled. "May I help you?" Angelina and Georgie nearly screamed at the shock of the oily voice that had abruptly sounded right behind them. They both spun around to find a short balding man with jagged teeth and a curved back standing right behind them, staring up at them with electric blue eyes that made shivers run up your spine. "Ummmma-ummmm," was all Georgie seemed able to say. "Erm.no thank you," Angelina replied, trying to cover up for her friend's rudeness. "We're just-uh-looking around." The balding man gave a little nod of his head. "Well feel free to call me if you need anything," he said in his oily voice. Then he departed, returning to the counter he'd been sitting behind the whole time-hidden from the girl's view. Georgie tried to suppress her giggles as she leaned into Angelina's arm and whispered, "I cannot believe he was there ALL that time!" Angelina smiled, she too tried to hold back laughter; how embarrassing. They moved around the display, now trying to seem like polite shoppers. "Ooh, look at that," Angelina would frequently say. "Oh, that's awesome!" Georgie would reply, in an over-enthusiastic voice. Angelina was getting really tired of acting like a fake, and was guiding Georgie towards the door, when it suddenly opened and in walked a blonde boy who looked very bored. Angelina immediately recognized this boy as the cruel Slytherin who had devoted all his time at school to "dethroning" Harry. It was Draco Malfoy, the pure blooded wizard who had always tormented Hermionie for being "half- blooded". Draco had always been the main harassment for Harry and his friends at Hogwarts, but he had never seemed to notice Angelina. And in return Angelina had never paid much attention to him; he didn't bother her, and so she never bothered him. Of coarse she hated him, but this was only because her friends hated him, and because she'd seen him sneer at Hermionie and Ron. Georgie had only been bullied by Draco once, but that had been in their second year when Georgie had stood up for Hagrid, saying he wasn't the Heir of Slytherin-and Draco and his goons Crabbe and Goyle always made sure to bully anyone who befriended the half giant. Now Draco paused and stared at Angelina and Georgie, as if trying to remember if he'd ever seen them before. Then he his lips curled into a kind of triumphant sneer. "Aw yes, if it isn't Georgia the giant oaf's friend," he said in a deep drawl. Georgie's eyes narrowed, and her brow furrowed; not only did she hate it when anyone called Hagrid an oaf but she also despised being called by her original name, Georgia. From the corner of her eye, Angelina saw Georgie's hands curl into tight fists, and her shoulders rise, indicating she was getting very mad. Draco raised his eyebrows at Georgie and grinned maliciously, then his eyes fell on Angelina. He looked her over for a moment then said in a single tone's difference, "And who are you? Another one of Harry Potter's Mudblood friends?" Angelina couldn't believe him! Calling someone a Mudblood in the wizarding world was extremely rude and wasn't something you heard often in the more public areas and alleys. The man behind the counter seemed to jump at the word 'Mudblood' and then stared at Angelina with narrowed eyes, waiting for her response. "She is not a Mudblood!" Georgie cried. "She's a pure blood, thank you very much! Now if you'll excuse us we have more important places to be than in your unwanted company!" Georgie grabbed Angelina's hand and pulled her toward the door. Angelina stared at Draco as she passed, she couldn't believe she was thinking it but she realized with a start that Draco was not half bad looking. His light blue gaze was rather charming and his crooked smile as he stared back at her made a whole flurry of butterflies explode in her stomach. In fact she wasn't sure she wanted to leave Draco's presence, but Georgie had a strong grip for such a small person and she was determined on walking out the door. There was no saying no. Georgie and Angelina hurried down the street, rushing passed all the queer people looming out at them in a surprising fashion. Soon they were emerging into the bright, sunlit streets of Diagon Alley, back into the crowds and sweet smelling fumes coming from booths lining the side of the alleyway. Back where they were safe, protected, and wanted. Back where they belonged. 


	4. Fantasmagorical Faces

Chapter Four  
  
The changing of the season (from holiday to the school year) presented catastrophic measures in the Moon household. Each day Angelina found something new to add to her already bulging trunk, including her newfound love of makeup. Angelina had to look nice at school now that she had seen some of the gorgeous boys (a.k.a. Draco Malfoy), and she was constantly going through her bureau and desk drawers searching for any clothing or makeup that would make her appear more attractive this year. Her mother was always bickering on about how much time Angelina would take in her bathroom each morning as she experimented with different eye shadows and lipstick shades. One day Angelina was rumaging through her mother's bathroom cabinet when she found a large kit titled Fantasmagorical Faces. When she opened the kit she found many odd looking powders and glosses, some labled 'Beatrice's Bubbling Blush', and 'Lola's Lunar Lippy'. Angleina stared at 'Lola's Lunar Lippy', the way it bubbled and fumed in it's small compartment, and thought the more appropriate name for it was 'Lola's Lunatic Latte', and she wondered why on earth ANYONE would want to put that stuff on their lips. Angelina was about to retire from looking through Fantasmagorical Faces when her eyes rested on a soft pink powder that looked harmless and smelled of stargazer lilies. Angelina picked up one of her mother's powder puffs, dipped it in the powder and applied it to her face. The blush had a very nice effect and Angelina was sculpting a plan in her mind to sneak the Fantasmagorical Faces kit off to school with her when she heard her mother clunking up the stairs. "Good God child, are you done in there yet?" Ms. Moon cried, hammering on the bathroom door. In a whirl of panic Angelina threw the powder puff into the cabinet, restored the Stargazer Lily Blush she'd been using, closed and clasped up the makeup kit, and returned it to it's abode at the back of the cabinet. She then wiped off the counter she'd been working at, restored all the towels she'd used, and hurriedly picked up the makeup tubes she'd accidentally knocked over earlier. Finally she pulled out her hairbrush and began brushing her long blonde hair, acting as if that was all she'd been doing for the last forty minutes. When she opened the door her mother looked very stern as her eyes were narrowed and her hands were on her hips. "Thank God you'll be at Hogwarts soon and I won't have to wait around for two hours just to go into my own bathroom!" Angelina rolled her eyes. "Mum, you know that my extensive time in your bathroom is one of my many quirks you'll miss terribly when I die in a freak dueling accident." "What, the one where you're dueling against the most gorgeous guy you've ever seen and you're so gaga that you duel with your wand turned the wrong way," her mother asked in a sarcastically comedic way. "And I keep hitting myself with my own smells, slowly killing myself in the process!" Angelina finished, smiling as she moved out of her mother's way. "Yup! That's the one!" Ms. Moon shook her head. "You're hopeless, child," she said, walking passed Angelina into her bathroom. "Completely hopeless." "And that's why you love me," Angelina replied, still grinning foolishly. Her mother rolled her eyes and shut the bathroom door. For the next few hours Angelina sat in her bedroom, thinking about the school year to come as she tried to calmly read magazines. She wondered how tall Ron was now, she wondered if Hermionie (like Georgie) was starting to look all grown up. She thought about how it would be a much quieter year without her heroes Fred and George, and what she and Georgie could do to make it as if they had never left. She thought about all her teachers, wishing her favorite teacher, Professor Lupin, would be allowed to come back and teach Defense Against the Darks Arts. But somehow she knew that would never happen as he was a werewolf and many of the parents would highly disapprove of their children being taught by such a creature. Angelina turned the page of her magazine, CM (Charmed Monthly), to find a picture of a handsome model dressed in Quidditch Robes and holding a fancy broomstick in one hand and a shimmering Golden Snitch in the other. At the bottom of the ad it said For those of you who like the ground, there's Wizards Chess.For those of you who like the air, there's Quidditch. Angelina reread the words with raised eyebrows; what a stupid ad-it didn't make any sense. But Angelina wasn't troubled by the confusing sentence for long as she was off thinking about the school year again. She wondered whether or not they would have Quidditch matches this year, and if they did would she try out for the Gryffindor team. How would the Quidditch team survive this year? They had already lost Fred and George, and Harry hadn't had any practice last year as Professor Umbridge had banned Harry from playing Quidditch-or even using his broom for that matter. Ron hadn't been good that year, even though Angelina had always put on a phony smile and congratulated him. Ginny was okay, she just needed more practice, and the biggest problem for Gryffendor was that the Slytherin Quidditch team was supposed to be really good. Last year Angelina had watched them play a couple of times and had been amazed at how they all played-not to mention how they all cheated. But last year Angelina hadn't really thought about the Slytherin team at all- but now, as Draco had suddenly become ravishingly handsome she had a feeling she'd be paying a lot more attention to them. Angelina finished her magazine and grabbed another one from the side of her bed where she had piled all of them. This magazine was an older one, Glamory was written across the top of the page in sky blue shades and sparkles. There was a young, teenage witch on the cover page who kept smiling broadly, exposing all her perfect, straight teeth as she blinked up at Angelina. Love Potions, was written to the right of the witch; How to make him fall MADLY in love with you! Below that was What's your future? Take this quiz to determine your future job, lover, and family! See page 81. Angelina flipped through her magazine until she came to page eighty one. "What's your future?" she read aloud. "Take this quiz.da da da duh.blah blah blah.and family!" She looked over the quiz questions and read them as she went. "If you were to go on a date where would you prefer to go? A) A Weird Sisters concert, B) A great place to sit down and eat, such as the famous Io Café, C) A trip around the world atop a magic carpet." Angelina smiled. "Well that's an easy one," she said. "Of coarse I'd go to a Weird Sisters concert!" A small red check mark suddenly appeared beside the option A, though it came as no surprise to Angelina. Angelina quickly filled out the rest of the quiz, yawning at times as it wasn't really that exciting-nor did it take her mind off the train she'd be boarding the next day. When Angelina finished a woman's silky voice filled her room, announcing her quiz results. "Your future job will be a clerk at an Apothecary somewhere is the west. You will marry a man named Artimus Pigsly, and you will have absolutely no children whatsoever as you'll be too old by the time you marry Artimus." The voice started laughing as it slowly vanished from the room. "I will not marry a man named Artimus," Angelina cried. "And I'm not gonna work in a Apothecary, AND I may have children-I'm just not sure about that one." Angelina stood up and stretched her legs, she wondered what her children would look like-if she did have any. And she wondered who their father would be-if she did meet someone. This got her thinking about Draco again and she walked over to her desk and sat down before her mirror. What Angelina saw nearly made her scream. "MUM!!!!!" she yelled, jumping up from her desk and racing towards her mother's bathroom. "What is it now?" Ms. Moon called from inside the bathroom. "MUM! Mum!!! It's an emergency!" Angelina cried, banging on the bathroom door. "What is it?" Ms. Moon asked, sounding more urgent this time as she opened the bathroom door. "Mum," Angelina whimpered. "Look at my face." Ms. Moon looked, but there wasn't much of a face to see. Angelina's face was slowly disolving from sight, her young smooth skin melting away right before her mother's eyes. But Ms. Moon didn't seem to care that her daughter would soon be faceless and she just narrowed her eyes and placed her hands firmly on her hips. "What were you playing around with this time?" she asked, her voice low. "Mum! Mum! Look at my face!" Angelina cried, she was almost tearful; how could she attract Draco without a face? "Angelina Moon were you going through my makeup?" Angelina's mother demanded. Angelina felt what was left of her face go red. She shrugged her shoulders. "No ma'am I didn'-" But it was no use as Ms. Moon already knew the truth. "How many times must a remind you that MY makeup is out of bounds? Have you no memory, child!? Did you not think of what happened the last time you messed around with my things? Your hand swelled up like a balloon when you used my moisturizer!" "Well then why the hell are you buying products that are so destructive?" Angelina cried, wiping away some of the pale colored cream that had once been her flesh. "My products aren't made for nosy little girls!" Ms. Moon snapped. "You have to know how to some of them so that they'll work properly! And with others you have to be a certain age before they'll work! Now come on, we'd better fix your face before your skin stains my carpet! But be warned," she said, grabbing Angelina by the hand and pulling her towards the bathroom sink. "If you're face starts to melt again all because you used my makeup then you'll never have a face again!" Angelina laughed. "Alright mum, sheesh! You don't hafta start using your goofy pirate voice on me just to get the message across!" Angelina's mother furrowed her brow and crossed her arms. "Okay," Angelina said in a nervous tone. "Erm.why don't you just get started on fixing my face?" She smiled sheepishly as her bottom lip began to slide off her face along with her cream-like skin. 


	5. Melted Faces and Noes Bleeds

Chapter Five  
  
To Ms. Moon's glee and to Angelina's despite it took five whole hours for Angelina's face to be restored, and Ms. Moon only had to stick around and help for twenty minutes of that time. First Angelina's whole head had to be washed off in the sink (which her mother had to help with), then it had to be blow-dried for about an hour (Angelina's eyes will never be the same again) while her mother just lazed about, smiling. "My face feels like it's on fire!" Angelina cried. "What face?" her mother asked with a laugh. "You haven't got one anymore!" And it was true. Although Angelina still felt the same her face had completely melted away, and all that was left was her "headless" body. "This is a very cruel punishment!" Angelina grumbled as she aimed the blow- drier right at where her cheek bone had once been. "Oh," her mother said, shaking her head and grinning. "This is only the beginning, Love." After the hour of drying (or burning-which ever you prefer) her face, Angelina had to sit around and wait FOUR MORE hours for her face to return. It began with her lips, slowly materializing back where they belonged. "MY LIPS!" Angelina had cried, while watching her face in the little hand mirror she'd been carrying around everywhere. "Mum, look! Look! My lips are back!" Angelina raced out into the front room where her mother was lounging while reading her book. "Look, mum! I have lips again!" "So I've heard," Ms. Moon replied, waiting until she was at a good stopping place in her book before looking up. To Angelina's surprise her mother started cracking up when she raised her eyes. "What is so funny?" Angelina demanded, imitating her mother by placing her hands sternly on her hips. Ms. Moon covered her mouth as she tried to stifle her laughter. "Oh-ha-it's nothing Dear," she said, gasping for breath. "It's just your-your-" Angelina's mother started up again. "You're lips are just-just floating there in midair!" If Angelina had eyebrows she would have furrowed them then as she stomped up the stairs to her room, leaving her mother in tears on the sofa. Angelina sat down at her desk again, and because she couldn't see her face in the mirror she decided to work on her hair. How should she dress it for the first day back at school? Should she just wear it down? She decided to phone Georgie as she had nothing better to do. The phone rang twice before it was picked up. "Hello?" a very distant voice said, Angelina could barely even hear them. "Erm.hello, may I speak to Georgie?" Angelina asked. But the voice didn't replied. A few moments later they asked again, "Hello? Hel-lo! Is anyone there?" Angelina now recognized the voice as Mrs. Ly's, Georgie's mother. "Hi Mrs. Ly!" Angelina said. "It's me, Angelina! Is Georgia in?" "HELLO!" Mrs. Ly shouted. "IS ANYONE THERE?" Angelina raised her eyebrows; why on earth couldn't Mrs. Ly hear her? Had her voice suddenly vanished just as her face had? Then Angelina realized the obvious; Mrs. Ly had only used a muggle phone once or twice in her life, and didn't really know how to use one. Angelina took a deep breath and then shouted into the phone as loudly as she could. "MRS. LY, TURN YOUR PHONE AROUND!!!" "Huh?" Mrs. Ly asked, sounding very confused. But she must have finally realized she had been speaking into the ear piece and listening through the receiver because the next time she spoke Angelina could hear her much better. "Hello? Angelina? Is that you?" "Yes," Angelina said, smiling-but her smile was soon turned to a frown as she could hear her mother clunking up the stairs. "Angelina what on earth are you screaming for?" her mother cried. "Nothing Mum," Angelina replied. "I'm only phoning a friend." "Well keep it down, child! I'm trying to read!" And with that Angelina's mother closed her bedroom door and clunked down the stairs. "I'm sorry Mrs. Ly," Angelina said into the receiver. "My mum just came in to check up on me. So anyway, I was wondering if I could talk to Georgia?" "Oh yes, yes, Georgia's here," Mrs. Ly replied. Angelina could hear her set the phone down then call up the stairs. "Georgia! Georgia! Phone for you!" "I've got it.Stop calling me Georgia!" Georgie called back down. Angelina heard the sound of another phone being picked up and then the first being set back down. "Hello?" Georgie said, it sounded like she was chewing on something. "Hey Georgie, it's me," Angelina said, combing her hair back from her face. "Yeah, I know," Georgie said. "So what's up?" "Oh nothing," Angelina replied, she pulled her back into a ponytail and examined it with her invisible eyes. "Just another ordinary day in the Moon Household; my face vanished, my mum's mad at me, and I'm not sure how I should wear my hair tomorrow." "Exciting," Georgie said sarcastically. Angelina heard her swallow whatever it was she was eating and then pop something else in her mouth and start chewing very loudly again. "Very," Angelina replied, just as sarcastically. "So how are you going to wear your hair tomorrow?" "I dunno," Georgie replied. "I was thinking of wearing it in a half-pony but I'm not sure." "Well that would be cute, but then again everything is cute on you" Angelina said, she pulled her hair back out of the ponytail and let it fall over her invisible face. She laughed at herself in the mirror; now she was just hair and lips. "What are you laughing at?" Georgie asked suspiciously. "Are you laughing at me?" she swallowed again. "No," Angelina replied. "Just my ugly face. I wish George could see me now." "Well I wish I could see Fred and George now," Georgie replied. "Rumor has it they're both a lot taller now and much more handsome!" she giggled, then started chewing again. "Georgie, can I ask you a question?" Angelina asked. "You mean a second question? Sure," Georgie replied. "What in God's name are you eating woman!?" "One of Fred and George's candies," Georgie replied as-a-matter-of-factly. "I ordered them in the mail a month ago. My nose has been bleeding all day! It's such a laugh! Fred and George are pure geniuses! I'll bring some for you tomorrow." "Cool!" Angelina said. "I can't wait for tomorrow, we'll finally be on our way to school!" "Yeah," Georgie said in a dream-like voice. "I can't wait to start making trouble around that place again! Now that Fred and George are gone this year we have to be on full duty! I bought lots of stink pellets in the mail also, so for now we have plenty of ammo." "Wicked," Angelina said, smiling broadly and noticing that some of her teeth were still invisible. "So, who do you think will be the next Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" "I dunno," Georgie replied. "Maybe they'll hire the REAL Mad Eye Moody? If they do that would be cool; Fred and George really respected ol' Mad Eye!" Angelina laughed; anything Georgie ever seemed to think about always had something to do with Fred and George. "Oh my gosh!" Angelina screamed into the receiver. "OUCH!" Georgie cried. "What's going on over there?" "I'm sorry," Angelina said. "But you would scream to if your face started materializing after a day of being invisible." "Yeah, I'd scream in anger," Georgie said. "I think it would be awesome to have an invisible face!" "Not if your mum laughed at you about it," Angelina said, she was touching her nose and cheek, which were slowly reappearing. "Oh please, you know my mum! She wouldn't laugh, she'd scream!" Angelina smiled. "Yeah, but your mum wouldn't even own moron makeup in the first place." "Well that proves it!" Georgie said, imitating a detective's mysterious voice. "Now I finally have my proof that Chuckles is an alien from Uranus." "Oh please Georgie," Angelina said watching her eyes come back into view. "Not that five-year-old humor again!" "What, I can't refer to that planet as a bum any more?" Georgie asked. "Oh shut up!" Angelina cried, laughing. "Make me!" Georgie snapped, swallowing another candy. "Georgie." "What?" "Goodbye," Angelina hung up her phone and laughed again; Georgie was definitely the best friend a girl could ask for. As Angelina watched her eyes in the mirror she decided on leaving her hair down for the first day of school; looking casual would be attractive enough she supposed. She smiled as she stretched out over her bed and grabbed for another magazine. Life was good, life was very good. 


	6. Platform Nine and Three QuartersAgain

Chapter Six.  
  
Life was terrible, life was very terrible. Angelina had fallen asleep on her magazines late night and when she woke up the next morning her hair was a disaster. Not to mention she still had a huge, invisible hole in the middle of her forehead. "Angelina!!! Angelina wake up!!!" her mother shouted right outside her bedroom door. "The train leaves at eleven, and if we miss it you're in big trouble." Angelina glanced up at her bedside clock. 9:34-she had less then two hours to get ready and she still had a big hole in her head! She jumped to her feet and frantically looked around for the clothes she'd planned on wearing. After finding them on the floor underneath her desk Angelina took and shower, got dressed, and tried combing her tangly hair. She hauled her giant truck downstairs, tried combing her hair again, tried on a couple different hats, seeing if any would hide the big hole in her forehead, and tried combing her hair AGAIN-with no luck. Finally she gave up and went downstairs complaining to her mother about her hair and her invisible forehead. Her mother just tutted then grabbed her wand from the kitchen counter. Pointing it at Angelina's matted hair she said Luxor Locks! Angelina's hair was all straightened out and when she ran her fingers through it there wasn't a single tangle to be found. "Thanks Mum!" Angelina said, running her fingers through her hair a few more times. "I'll have to remember that spell! Now about my forehead-" "I'm sorry, Love, but there's no spell I can think of that will make your skin reappear," Ms. Moon said, setting her wand back down. "What?!" Angelina cried. "But Mum I can't go to school with a gigantic hole in my head-not on the first day anyway!" "Oh, don't worry, Sweetums," Angelina's mother cooed. "You're friend Georgie will find it to be 'wicked'-or whatever it is that she says all the time." "No.Mum." Angelina whined. "I just can't.can't I use your concealer or something?" With the glare Ms. Moon gave Angelina she didn't even need to say a word. Angelina slouched back up the stairs. "Be down in five minutes!" her mother called up at her. "I want to get there a little early!" "Yes Mum," Angelina grumbled. She walked over to her bureau and pulled one of her many beanies out of the top drawer. She pulled it over her head and looked at herself in the mirror. The hole was visible-or invisible-or, oh whatever! Angleina sighed and shrugged her shoulders. There was nothing she could do, she admitted to herself, but wait until her skin reappeared. She grabbed a sweatshirt and snuggled up in it, even though it wasn't cold. By the evening on she would be clothed in her long black school robes, and she wanted to savor her last few hours in her normal clothes. She moved towards the door and turned off her bedroom light, took a last look around, and then closed the door.  
  
The train station was very busy and crowded that day, muggles bustling here and there, hurrying to board their trains. Angelina watched smoke rise from one of the whistling trains as she and her mother slowly made their way towards a big barrier between platforms nine and ten, each helping the other guide Angelina's cart through the crowded platforms. As Angelina walked she passed a rather small boy who stared up at her with huge, curious eyes. He was accompanied by a family of muggles and Angelina would have supposed he too was a muggle if he hadn't kept hiccoughing, forcing bright purple bubbles out of his ears. Angelina smiled down at him, thinking of the shock it would be to his parents when they found out he was a wizard. "Ah, yes, here's the barrier," Angelina's mother said as they moved right in front of the solid stone wall. "Go on, Love, I'll head in right after you." Angelina looked around, making sure none of the muggles were intently watching her, then she leaned her cart against the barrier, closed her eyes, and in seconds found herself on the busiest of the platforms; Platform 9 ¾. Soon after her mother came hurrying in behind her. "All right, Love, why don't you find a seat then come back out and say goodbye," Ms. Moon said, nudging Angelina towards the train. Angelina carried her trunk onto the train with her and as she walked through the many occupied compartments it clunked along behind her. "Angelina!" someone cried when Angelina was walking through one of the compartments towards the back of the train. Angelina spun around to find Lavender Brown standing up at her seat and waving. "Oh! Hello Lavender, Parvati, Padma." Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil waved frantically but Padma Patil just sat back in her seat and nodded. Parvati and Lavender had just been about to say more to Angelina when three boys walking outside of the train caught their attention instead. Angelina took this as her opportunity to leave, and she continued making slow progress down the many compartments. Finally she came to the last compartment where Hermionie, Ron, Harry, Ginny Weasley, and Georgie were seated, waiting for her. "Angelina! There you are! Could you have been any slower?" Georgie asked, getting to her feet and hugging Angelina for the second time that summer. "Oh Angelina! It's so good to see you!" Hermionie cried, hugging Angelina after Georgie had finally let go. "Hi!" Angelina said, hugging Hermionie back. "Hi Ginny!" she said. Ginny who still stood back by the window of the train smiled and waved. "Hey," Ron said. He was now very tall, and Angelina had to look up at him when she talked. His voice was also much deeper and it had startled Angelina when he'd greeted her. "Oh! Hi Ron, I've missed you so much!" Angelina cried, hugging him. Ron's ears turned pink as he hugged her in return. "Yeah, I've missed you too," he said a little taken aback. "Hey Harry," Angelina said after she'd hugged Ron. Harry hadn't grown as much as Ron had over the summer but it was obvious he had grown some. Like Ron his voice had also grown deep and Angelina felt like a kid among adults whenever he or Ron spoke. "Hey, how are you?" Harry asked, wrapping his arms around Angelina like she was his best friend in the world and he hadn't seen her for years. "Oh, I'm fine," Angelina said, pulling away from the embrace. "Nothing new here." "'Cept your invisible forehead," Ginny said, walking up and staring at the hole that still existed on Angelina's head. Now everyone else's eyes moved up to her forehead and she felt her cheeks get warm. "Oh, um.well, I-" Angelina wasn't sure what to say-nor could she really spit the words that came into mind out of her mouth. "Oh she was using her mum's makeup again and it made her whole face disappear," Georgie said in a bored tone as if she had known this for ages and it was very old news. "Your whole face disappeared?!" Ginny cried. "Well actually it melted," Angelina replied. Ginny's face lit up. "Wow! Wicked! I wish I could have seen it! You should have taken pictures!" Angelina laughed. "Yeah.I guess I should've. But my mum was too worried about my melting skin staining our carpet so she made me wash my skin off really quickly." Ginny's grin grew into a huge smile; she was delighted. Harry laughed then gestured towards the train seats. "Come, sit down," he said. "Thank you," Angelina said slyly; she had never seen Harry this generous. "Oh wait!" she cried, just before sitting down. "I hafta say bye to me mum! I'll be right back!" And with that she hurried out of the compartment and through all the others she had already walked through. She jumped off the train and rushed forth to her mother who still stood there, waiting for her. "Hey Sweetums, did you find a seat?" her mother asked as she strode towards her. Angelina nodded. "Yup," she said. "I got a compartment with Georgie and the gang." "Well sounds like you're all set to go," Ms. Moon said, her voice wavering a little. Angelina hadn't seen her mother cry for what felt like ages, but here she stood, tears rolling down her pale cheeks. Finally, when she could stand it no longer, Ms. Moon grabbed Angelina and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you, Love," she said into Angelina's ear. "I'm gonna miss you too mum," Angelina replied, hugging her mother back. This was one of those very rare moments anyone ever saw between the two of them; usually they were too busy being sarcastic and comedic to embrace each other so long and cry. "Well, you better get back on the train," Ms. Moon said, pulling back. Angelina nodded and wiped a tear away from her cheek. Hesitantly she let go of her mother and took a step back. "I love you Sweetie," Ms. Moon said as Angelina began heading back towards the train. "I love you too Mum," Angelina replied, blowing her mother a kiss. Smoke started billowing from the train and the whistle began to blow. Parents all over the platform were now squeezing their children tight, reluctantly saying their farewells. Angelina boarded the train and then poked her head out of one of the many windows, and waved her mother goodbye one last time. The train began to roll out of the station after the third blow of the whistle and Angelina watched her mother shrink in the distance until they turned a corner and she was gone from sight. Angelina quickly jumped back from the window, ready to bound off towards the last compartment when she ran straight into someone tall and was knocked off balance. The world swam before her eyes for a second or two as Angelina sat on the floor, staring about for who she'd run into. And there he was. Of all the people to stupidly run into Angelina just HAD to run smack-dab into Draco Malfoy, who was looking even more gorgeous today then he'd been in Knock Turn Alley. Angelina stared up at him with wide eyes for what felt like an eternity of embarrassment until finally he reached out a hand to help her up. "You okay?" he asked, pulling Angelina to her feet. She nodded stupidly, and felt her cheeks redden as Draco spotted her forehead. He stared at her for a while, looking her over again with a sort of distant expression on his face, when he smiled his crooked grin. "Better watch where you're going," he said in his usual drawl. Then he turned and he, Crabe, and Goyle (who had been standing behind him the whole time) walked off chuckling in a stupid way. Angelina felt so embarrassed; why had she been such an idiot? Why hadn't she said a single word? Angelina's heart fell as she turned to head back down to the last compartment. Ron was lifting her trunk up and putting it in the overhead compartment when she glumly walked in. "Oh, thank you," she said smiling, and putting on the most chipper tone she could muster. "No problem," Ron said, letting Angelina sit down before him. Why was everyone being so generous today? Angelina turned toward Harry. "So," she said. "How was your summer?" "Marvelous," Harry said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. "As you know the Dursleys are my favorite people in the world." Angelina didn't say anything. She knew Harry was still terribly upset about Sirius's death last year, as they all were. "How's your scar?" Angelina asked in a very low voice. She had been afraid to ask it but she had to know. Harry shrugged. "It didn't bother me much this summer," he said. Angelina raised her eyebrows. Last year it had bothered him nearly every day, and now, as Voldemort was slowly regaining his strength and power, Angelina had imagined Harry's scar searing in pain almost every day. But then again, she didn't quite understand Harry's scar, or exactly how it connected him to Voldemort. She did, however, understand how it felt to have people goggling at your forehead all the time. "Really?" Hermionie asked, sounding worried. "It didn't bother you much at all?" Harry shrugged again. "Not really," he replied. Angelina looked at him a while longer, trying to decide whether he was telling the truth or not. Finally she gave up and turned to Ron. "How are Fred and George, the two business men?" she asked. "They're doin' great," Ron replied in his new deep voice that made excited shivers run up Angelina's spine. "Their joke shop is a huge success. We went down and visited them over the holiday and they had so many customers it was mad!" "We could hardly talk to them," Ginny added. "They were always so busy with their business. But I have to admit they have some wicked stock! All this cool stuff they invented!" "Which reminds me," Georgie said, and she reached into her sweater pocket. "Ah-ha!" she said, pulling her hand back out and producing three colorfully wrapped candies. "Here they are!" she said grinning as she handed them to Angelina. "One makes your nose bleed, one gives you a huge fever and makes you vomit all over the place, and the third one makes you go completely delirious!" she winked. "They're so awesome!" "Thanks," Angelina said, grinning as she took the candies and stuffed them in her pockets. "I'll hafta remember those during Potions!" "Hey! Good idea!" Georgie cried. "I hadn't thought of that!" "Don't tell me you two are planning on using those candies to skip class?" Hermionie asked. "So what if we are?" Georgie asked, raising her eyebrows. "Oh no," Hermionie said, shaking her head. "We've got another Fred and George on our hands-only this time its Angelina and Georgie." Georgie smiled broadly. "Well I've got plenty more candies where those came from," she pulled another handful of candies out of her pocket and held them out. "Anybody else want any?" she asked. Ron looked nervously at Hermionie before grabbing some of the candies and stuffing them in his pocket. "I want some!" Ginny cried, she grabbed more than half of the candies in Georgie's hand. Georgie moved her hand toward Harry who took three pieces of candy for himself. "You guys," Hermionie complained. "Don't you think Snape will get suspicious when all of you are getting sick?" Ron shrugged his shoulders. "We can all eat them at different times in the year," he said. Angelina felt odd sitting next to him, he was reminding her so much of Fred and George that she couldn't help staring at him every now and then. She wondered if Georgie was feeling the same way, she watched Georgie for a minute or two to see if she was staring at Ron but she wasn't, instead she was talking and laughing with the others while Angelina sat there off in her own little world. Suddenly Angelina remembered something she'd been meaning to ask Georgie. "Did you bring the stink pellets?" she asked. Georgie furrowed her brows and pressed her index finger over her lips. "What?" Hermionie cried. "Oh now look what you've gone and done!" Georgie cried. Angelina smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders. "You two are planning on setting off stink pellets?" Hermionie asked, her eyebrows raised. "You're going to go and make our school the foulest smelling place ever!" "Oh no we aren't," Georgie replied, shaking her head. "Only Mr. Filch's office and maybe the Slytherin hall," she shrugged her shoulders. "You know; places our enemies hang out." But Hermionie's stern expression didn't change as she glared at Georgie. "Well I for one think it's a superb idea," Ron said, sinking back into the seat. "I'd like to get back at Slytherin for that damn song they made up last year!" Ron was referring to a song the Slytherins had made up during the Quidditch season when Ron hadn't been doing so well. The song went like this:  
Weasley cannot save a thing,  
He cannot block a single ring,  
That's why Slytherins all sing:  
Weasley is our King.  
  
Weasley was born in a bin,  
He always lets the Quaffle in,  
Weasley will make sure we win,  
Weasley is our King.  
  
Weasley is our King,  
Weasley is our King,  
He always lets the Quaffle in,  
Weasley is our King.  
  
The Slytherins had sang this song at every Quidditch game (Gryffindor verses Slytherin) to make Ron lose his self confidence and not play his best game. The Slytherins had always cheered at the end of each game, "WEASLEY IS OUR KING!" They had even made badges to wear with that very line written on each one. It had not been a good year for Ron. Angelina sat back against the cushioned seat and looked from Ron to Georgie, to Harry to Hermionie, and finally over to Ginny. These were her friends and this is where she belonged. 


	7. Angelina Takes a Stand

Chapter Seven  
  
"I wonder what would happen if I threw this at you?" Georgie was sitting with her feet on her trunk, holding a miniscule ball of silver flames between her fingers. She made a violent throwing motion directed at Angelina, but never let go of the marble sized flames. "I would burn and die," Angelina replied sarcastically. She was leaning back into the train bench trying different Berty Bott's Every Flavored Beans that Ron handed to her. "Ooh! Try this one!" he'd cried out once, handing Angelina a bright pink bean. Slowly and suspiciously Angelina had popped the bean into her mouth. "URGH!" she'd yelled, spitting the bean across the compartment. "That was positively vile! Ugh! What was that one!" Ron shrugged. "You tell me," he'd said, grinning. "Erg! It tasted like vomit! Uuuuhk!" Angelina had stuck her tongue out in a disgusted manner. Ron had started laughing before tossing another bean into his mouth. "Mmmm! Tastes like peach cobbler!" Angelina had glared at him with narrowed eyes. Now Angelina slyly watched Georgie, keeping her eyes on the ball of flames in her hand. Georgie raised her eyebrows, ever grinning, as she held up the flames yet again. "Don't you dare," Angelina warned. But Georgie threw it anyway. The silver flames burst against the back of the seat, swallowing Angelina and Ron in a wave of icy cold fire. But just as soon as the flames emerged they subsided, leaving Ron and Angelina covered in black soot. "You should have seen your faces!" Georgie cried, slapping her knee with her hand. "Oh that was classic! I wish I had a camera!" But Angelina and Ron did not share Georgie's laughter, and they sat there glaring at her. "What?" she said sheepishly. "You have to admit that was pretty exciting; almost like the first time you go on one of those huge roller coasters!" "Exhilarating," Angelina replied sarcastically. "What's a roller coaster?" Ron asked, looking dumbfounded. "I'll explain later," Georgie said before Hermionie could begin a long lecture on the history of a roller coaster. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Potter and the rest of the gang. Everyone turned in surprise only to find an unpleasant scene. Draco Malfoy and his two cronies had just entered the compartment to come and see what mischief they could cause about Harry, something they did almost every year. "Malfoy," Harry said behind clenched teeth. The joyful air in the compartment was vanquished as almost everyone became tense and Draco smirked in his peevish way. Angelina felt her heart stop. She'd been sitting there gobsmacked from the moment Draco had slid open the compartment door and stepped inside, and now her mind raced as she thought of a million things at once. How gorgeous Draco looked, how much she wanted to just wrap her arms around him and never let him go, how much soot she was drenched in, how Georgie looked like she was going to become homicidal at any moment, things like that. She sat there, feeling stupider and stupider by the minute, and watched as Draco took a step forth. "I hear your father's not doing too good at the ministry, Weasley," he said to Ron, ever smirking. "I hear he hasn't been getting paid since he was in the hospital last year. How does you're huge family survive?" Out of the corner of her eye Angelina saw Ron's hand clench into a fist, and Ginny's brow narrow in fury. "I've heard you've had to start living off your own toenails back at home," Draco continued. "Because your mudblood loving father can't afford diddly- squat. But I guess that doesn't matter as your fat ass mum can't cook anyway! So Weasley, enjoying your toenail clippings?" "Shut it Malfoy or I'll make you choke on those words!" Ron said as calmly as he could, the rage boiling up inside him. Draco laughed. "I'd like to see you try," he said, his grin growing wider. Angelina was worried Ron really was going to start a fight, and she had no other idea of what to do so she hesitantly stood up and cleared her throat.  
  
"For your information, Malfoy, Ron's father is doing very well at work," she glanced down at Ron who was staring at her in surprise. But Angelina continued, ever gathering her courage. "His mum happens to be a superb cook, and the only reason you're in here making up stories about them is because your jealous. Now do you need me to show you to the door, or do you think you can find it on your own?" Everyone gaped at Angelina, including Draco, Crabe, and Goyle. After a few moments silence Draco regained his coolness and said, "Sticking up for Weasley? You could have done much better than him." And with a final smirk he turned on his heal and left the compartment, Crabe and Goyle slouching off after him. Angelina sat back down feeling confused and empowered at the same time. She'd just told Draco off and he'd actually went away! But still his final words made her wonder; what had he meant by "You could have done much better than him"? "And I thought he would never leave," Hermionie said, her smile returning. "Yeah, thanks for that," Ron said slowly; he seemed disappointed that he hadn't been able to hit Draco in the face. Angelina shrugged as if to say "Any time", but as the others began to talk and laugh again she sat there feeling rather.well.empty. 


End file.
